Teacher Workload in the Post-pandemic Period

Abstract

This article examines the workload of schoolteachers transitioning back from distance to  traditional learning formats. Through a comprehensive study, we explored regional teachers’ self-assessments concerning their workloads, including the structure, volume, and the differentiation between essential and superfluous tasks. The study highlights the proliferation of an “always on” work culture among teachers, pinpointing its contribution to potential dissatisfaction and to professional stress and burnout. We critically review the discourse surrounding teacher workload and its impact on professional well-being, drawing on the research literature. Empirical data were gathered through a questionnaire and content analysis, involving 3,588 teachers from 100 state and municipal schools across fifteen Russian regions, and examining a linguistic dataset of 3,827 elements. The findings suggest that teachers, irrespective of their geographical location or experience, are entrenched in an “always on” mode, blurring the lines between teaching and non-teaching responsibilities and between mandatory and optional tasks. This pervasive connectivity, often exacerbated by (non-)digital communications, contributes to increased workloads, physical exhaustion, and psychological strain among teachers.